Dangerous western arctic blast as South could hit record highs this week
This sharp difference in temperature between the West and East will likely reach its peak Thursday when dozens of record highs could be threatened in the Southeast at the same time dozens of record-cold temperatures will engulf the Northwest and California.
Dangerously cold air invasion
The Northwest and Plains are in for a temperature shock as we start the work week. Frosty temperatures will dive down with a series of fronts and knock wind chills down to 30 below in some places.
A dangerous blast of arctic air is plowing into the western U.S. while warmer-than-average temperatures will continue to dominate much of the East. By Friday over 149 million of us will need to bundle up against below average temperatures. The East though will get another spring tease.
Slow warming trend in East this week
Above-average temperatures are creeping back across the East heading into the work week, but no record highs are expected to fall through at least Tuesday.
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By Wednesday, however, record-challenging temperatures will begin building across the Southeast.
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Dangerous cold to infiltrate West
Meanwhile, the West will be heading into a prolonged stretch of below-average temperatures with dangerously cold wind chills across the Northwest and the Rockies.
The arctic blast in the West will send temperatures tumbling that could threaten both record lows and record-cold highs beginning Wednesday. Frostbite and hypothermia will become a concern for anyone caught outdoors for a significant amount of time.
A winter storm is expected to accompany the blast of cold air, bringing widespread snow and rain from the West Coast to the Rockies.
Temperature divide means huge differences between West and East
The week's weather pattern will resemble the temperature divide the U.S. experienced last week. Some locations in Florida could top 90 degrees later next week, while at the same time, wind chills might dip as low as -40 degrees in the Northwest.
Any record-high temperatures will likely be contained to the Southeast, but much of the nation's eastern half will be warmer than average for this time of year. The anomalous warmth across the nation's southern tier has caused a very early start for the spring leaves.
If this pattern continues to hold for the remainder of February, many cities across the East will end up with one of their warmest Februarys on record.
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This sharp difference in temperature between the West and East will likely reach its peak Thursday when dozens of record highs could be threatened in the Southeast at the same time dozens of record-cold temperatures will engulf the Northwest and California.